Game Within Game: Oilers down Canucks in shootout

Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo sees the shot from Edmonton Oilers Jordan Eberle hit the net behind him as the second period of NHL action closed at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, January 20, 2013.

Photograph by: Ian Lindsay
, PNG

3. Devan Dubnyk, Oilers. Shut the door in the third period, overtime and shootout to net the win.

PIVOTAL POINT: With the Canucks clinging to a tenuous 2-1 lead in the third period, Andrew Ebbett took a needless offensive zone tripping penalty on Oiler rookie Nail Yakupov and the Canucks' penalty killing, which was horrendous against the Ducks, surrendered the tying goal to Ales Hemsky.

BY THE NUMBERS: The Canucks suffered their fifth straight defeat at home dating back to last season's playoffs when they dropped all three of their post-season dates to the Kings... After scoring two power-play goals Saturday against the Ducks, the Canucks went 0-for-5 on the power play against the Oilers, missing two third-period chances to increase their lead to 3-1 and perhaps put the game away in regulation... Sunday's sellout was the 409th straight.

DID YOU NOTICE? Alex Edler giveth and he taketh away. After scoring the game's opening goal on a nice solo dash in the first period, the big Swede allowed Jordan Eberle to walk around him in the final seconds of the second period and Eberle was able to roof a stupendous backhand farside on Roberto Luongo, making the count 2-1.

BEST SEDIN-ERY: With the Canucks up 1-0, Henrik fed Daniel behind the Oiler net. Daniel appeared to have no route to the net so instead delivered a blind backhand pass to Zack Kassian, who had come streaking off the Canucks bench. The big sophomore easily beat Devan Dubnyk to make 2-0 Vancouver.

BEST CLEAN HIT: Two-thirds the way through the second period, Canuck fourth-liner Dale Weise attempted one his patented moves from the Dutch League, which he terrorized during the lockout (48 points in 19 games) but he was planted into the wall by Oiler defenceman Jeff Petry on a textbook takeout.

BEST MISS: Early in the second period and the Canucks still up 1-0, Mason Raymond came down the left side, fed centre Andrew Ebbett, who in turn fed a charging Zack Kassian for a potential picture-perfect off-the-rush goal. Alas, Kass shot wide.

IN THE PRESS BOX: Former Vancouver Giant captain Mark Fistric, acquired last week by the Oilers from Dallas, was a healthy scratch along with one-time Canuck scrapper Darcy Hordichuk andl left winger Magnus Paajarvi. Canuck scratches Sunday were blueliners Andrew Alberts, Cam Barker and Jim Vandermeer. Canuck coach Alain Vigneault indicated the team doesn't plan to keep nine defencemen for “very, very long.”

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Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo sees the shot from Edmonton Oilers Jordan Eberle hit the net behind him as the second period of NHL action closed at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, January 20, 2013.

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